Good to Have Coleman Scott Back as Cowboy Grapplers Have Busy Weekend

STILLWATER – For Oklahoma State wrestling head coach John Smith it had to bring back memories this summer as he found himself recruiting Coleman Scott all over again. He recruited him once as a prep and national wrestling standout from Waynesburgh, Pa. Scott came in and ended up at mid-year jumping into the line-up, something rare for a freshman wrestling for John Smith. Scott ended up 120-24 in his collegiate career and one of the Pokes four-time All-Americans and one of those came after a first round loss in the NCAA Tournament which is a brutal way to go about earning All-American status. He went on to win a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

Scott back in Stillwater. 

Now, Smith was trying to lure Scott back to Stillwater, back to his staff, and after Scott had established himself as a strong head coach at the University of North Carolina.

“That was a huge part to us is just what’s best for us and our family, not me,” Scott said of his decision, which was more a family decision. “I’m done competing. I’m done doing my thing. It’s not about me. I know what I want to do, but at the end of the day there’s more than me. I wanted to make sure my kids were involved in it. I wanted to make sure my wife was involved in the decision, the talking.”

Smith may have hit up his former wrestler at the right time as the family was on a vacation in Los Angeles to watch some baseball. LA traffic was it’s usual bumper-to-bumper allowing for some talk time with the family.

UNC Athletics

Scott coaching the Tarheels wrestlers.

Scott said the radio in the rental car was turned down and the discussion began. His wife is from Oklahoma City but had made a life in Chapel Hill, N.C. The town and campus are picturesque and nice place for kids to grow up. So is Stillwater.

“This place, it’s a place that I’ve always envisioned and wanted to be in if it was ever a possibility, and if it wasn’t, I was great,” Scott said. “I was doing good. I was fine where I was. But if it ever came up I knew it’d be a hard thing to pass up.

“That’s above my head,” Scott said of the ultimate family decision. “I don’t make those decisions. I’m just here to help Cowboy Wrestling and see where we can go. If it’s an opportunity, it’s an opportunity. I’m in a great place and love what I’m doing and love where I live. That’s what I view it as.”

Scott has helped out since he arrived. This is a young team and one with a lot of newcomers. 

“He helps a lot with the room and it is obvious the younger guys really trust him,” veteran Cowboy 184-pounder Dustin Plott said. 

Scott gets his return to Bedlam this Sunday when the Cowboys travel to the Fieldhouse in Norman for Bedlam chapeter one for this season. Before that the Cowboys have Lehigh on Friday night.